


Gunpowder, Ice, and Lightning.

by boredomsMuse



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: And their effects on relationships, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Comas - Freeform, Eddie Thawne Lives, M/M, Multi, S1E23, Secret Relationship, So..., a happy ending for the pairing, but it is kinda angsty, but it leads into the canon ending, happiness subjective?, hi im in rarepair hell, its also like, its not overly angsty, please join me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:14:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26681215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boredomsMuse/pseuds/boredomsMuse
Summary: If you ask Barry Allen, he'd say his life has gone to shit since getting hit by lightning.More accurately, his life has gone to shit since he woke up and discovered he was down one apartment and two boyfriends.(Aka S1E23 but with a rarepair poly twist)
Relationships: (hinted at) - Relationship, Barry Allen/Eddie Thawne, Barry Allen/Leonard Snart, Barry Allen/Leonard Snart/Eddie Thawne, Henry Allen/Joe West, Leonard Snart/Eddie Thawne
Comments: 3
Kudos: 90





	Gunpowder, Ice, and Lightning.

**Author's Note:**

> The coldflash server is full of enablers and I regret nothing (also thank you a bunch to Kat who finally gave me the modivation to finish this... by giving me an entirely unrelated prompt. I swear imma do the prompt soon)
> 
> Has been beta-read but it's also 2am so...  
> Please Enjoy
> 
> [And also heres a link of links](https://linktr.ee/kailsmusings)

If you ask Barry Allen, he’ll say his life has gone to shit since the lightning bolt.

Even pre-Eobard (EoWells, as Cisco has dubbed him) things hadn’t been great. Don’t get him wrong, Barry loves being the Flash. It’s just that… pre-lightning Barry was… happy. For the first time in over a decade. Things weren’t perfect, they couldn’t be with his dad in prison, but life was pretty good.

Then lightning struck.

Things were different when Barry woke up. 

And that was just nine months. How different is sixteen years going to be?

“I thought I’d find you up here.” Iris’ voice startles Barry out of his thoughts. He looks up to find her walking over, smiling gently.

“How’d you know?” He asks when she settles into the spot beside him.

“Well it is our spot, Flash.” Iris teases, bumping his shoulder. Barry manages a half-honest smile at that. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” He says. “I just…”

“Dad told me it was his idea.” She assures. “Overprotective as ever, right?”

“And impossible to stand up to.” Barry agrees. The half-smile drops for his face a moment later. “I’ll lose that. If I go back.” He notes.

“You wouldn’t lose us.” Iris promises, quick and sincere. “It’ll be very different, apparently. West-Allen, huh?”

“I don’t know why the newspaper said that.” Barry swears, frowning deeper. 

“You don’t?” Iris questions, not sounding very convinced. Taking a deep breath, Barry forces himself to look her in the eye as he answers.

“I was in love with you for a very long time. Most of my life actually.” He admits, in a way he couldn’t Christmas day when she said she was going to ask Eddie out. “I think I was so stuck in how things were, before my mum died, that I couldn’t let myself move on.”

“But you have?” Iris prompts. 

“I did.” Barry confirms, with a tight smile. Is she upset? Relieved? Something else? He can’t tell, but Barry supposes it doesn’t matter. She deserves the truth. “I will always love you Iris. As my sister. Embarrassing and annoying and wonderful. But I haven’t been in love with you for years.”

“No.” Iris agrees, sighing and looking out into the night. “You’re in love with someone else.” 

“I am but it’s… complicated.” Barry sighs himself, running a hand through his hair.

“Eddie told me the same thing, you know.” She says, quietly. “At Christmas.”

“What do you mean?” Barry frowns, face scrunching up. “I thought he said yes.” Not that he’d actually asked but… but everyone thought Eddie and Iris started dating months ago, when Barry was still in the coma. Even Joe.

“You never asked and I didn’t want to bring it up so…” Iris trails off with a shrug. “He was nice about it, but Eddie’s in love with somebody else. It’s just ‘complicated’.” She says, making quotation marks as she says it. 

“I’m sorry.” Barry offers, even though he’s more confused than anything. 

“It’s okay.” Iris sighs. “I get it now.”

“You do?” Barry asks, cautious.

“Eddie’s the one that told me about the newspaper. He seemed… really upset.” Iris explains. “I think I knew before then, but that’s when I knew for sure.”

“I’m sorry.” Barry repeats, for very different reasons.

“Why didn’t you tell me Barry? I’ve been flirting with what, your ex? Your boyfriend?”

“It’s complicated.” Barry says, continuing before Iris can press further. “And if I go back it might not even matter. I don’t… I don’t even know if we’d still meet.” Iris is quiet for a moment and Barry worries that she’ll demand answers he can’t give. Then, with a sigh, she pushes off of the railing they’re leaning against.

“Then maybe you should talk to him about it.” She finally says. “I know you’re asking for everyone’s opinions.”

“I want yours too.” Barry says, looking back to her. He’s expecting the worst but Iris… Iris is still smiling at him - a small, genuine kind of smile.

“Oh no, you don’t get to change the topic like that.” She claims, teasing. “I want you to do what makes you happy Bar. And I don’t think you’ll know what that is until you talk to everyone. Eddie included.” Taking a deep breath, Barry stands up too.

“I’ll think about it.” He says.

“No you’ll do it.” Iris orders. “Promise me.”

“Iris-” Barry tries but she cuts him off.

“Bartholow Henry Allen, you promise me that you will talk to that man or I will lock you both in a storage closet.” She threatens.

“Okay, okay.” Barry argees, raising his arms up in surrender. “I’ll… I’ll talk to him.”

* * *

In that end Barry puts it off until the last second. The portal will be ready any minute now and Barry really should be waiting for it.

But Eddie walked outside a few minutes ago and Iris gave him a  _ look _ and well… well Barry does want to talk to him. The elevator ride is painfully slow but at least there’s no horrible music rattling around. It only takes a moment to find Eddie once he’s out of the compound, sitting against a wall and looking at his phone.

“H-hey.” Barry manages, clearly his throat. 

“Barry.” Eddie returns, startled. “Shouldn’t you be inside? I thought they were almost ready.”

“They are.” Barry confirms. “But I… I wanted to talk to you.” With a deep breath, Barry sits besides Eddie. His eyes stay glued to the ground, unable to look over. “Do you think I should do it?” 

“What?” Eddie asks. He sounds like he’s frowning but Barry doesn’t check. It’s taking everything he has not to run right now.

“I just mean… what if I change everything and we don’t end up meeting?” He asks. “I was only in Keystone because of my mum’s death, because I was desperate to prove the impossible.”

“I thought about it.” Eddie admits. “But Barry, it’s your mum. This is your chance to save her.”

“So you wish we didn’t met?” Barry rephrases, the words dragging across his throat as he forces them out. 

“What? No!” Eddie claims, quickly. “Why would you think that?”

“You and Len hate me, don’t you?” Barry says. He feels himself starting to tremble, emotions he hasn’t been able to voice finally tumbling into the open. “I thought you were starting to like each other but you were doing that just for me, weren’t you? And that must have been horrible. No wonder Len was gone and you… you couldn’t look at me. I’d hate me too.”

“No!” Eddie repeats. Barry hears him moving and fears that Eddie’s leaving. But then he feels hands on his face, gently lifting his gaze up. Eddie is sitting in front of him, his expression desperate as their eyes lock. “Barry that is  _ not _ what happened.”

“It isn’t?” Oh great, now he’s sniffling. Before he can wipe his eyes, Eddie brushes the tears away.

“I’m so sorry Barry.” He says. “I love you and I love Len, I never faked anything. Neither of us did.” Eddie swears. “But you were in a coma and I couldn’t lose hope, I couldn’t handle that. And Len couldn’t handle hoping. He was convinced you wouldn’t wake up. We fought about it and we fell apart.”

“I’m sorry.” Barry apologizes, because it’s stupid but he still feels like it’s his fault. He didn’t mean to get hit, didn’t mean for the coma, but still-

“Barry no.” Eddie stresses. “Len and I messed up, we were hurt and we took it out on each other. And when you woke up I just… I didn’t know what to do. Len was gone and I wasn’t sure I was enough and I didn’t want you to have to pick a side. So I just… didn’t say anything. I’m sorry.”

“But what about Iris?” Barry can’t help but ask. “I mean… you two seemed...” He trails off, not sure how to phrase ‘everyone thinks you’re dating and even though Iris told me you turned her down I’m still worried’ without just saying that.

“I didn’t realize what it looked like until it was too late.” Eddie admits, sighing. “And then I didn’t know how to fix it without making another mess.” 

“You didn’t make a mess.” Barry claims, starting to feel his shoulders relax. “At least not alone.”

“You’re crying right now because you thought I hated you.” Eddie argues. “That’s a pretty big mess and that’s my fault.”

“Actually right now I’m crying because you  _ don’t  _ hate me.” Barry says. “Before yeah, but now they’re happy tears. Kinda ‘I don’t believe it’ tears but mostly happy tears.” 

“I swear to you Barry Allen,” Eddie starts, leaning close so that their foreheads are pressed together, “I love you with all my heart, I always will.”

Barry, tears still spilling out of his eyes, does something he’s wanted to do since he woke up. He leans forward and presses their lips together. It’s a desperate kiss, certainly not their nicest, but Barry feels himself melting anyway.

“I love you too Eddie.” He whispers when they finally pull away, breathless and feeling almost weightless.

“Go save your mum Barry.” Eddie says, softly. “And meet me anyway, because meeting you was one of the best things that ever happened to me.” Barry kisses him again, and again, and again. He doesn’t stop until his phone dings with a message. Even then he doesn’t really want to.

_ Cisco: We’re ready _

“I guess we should head back.” Barry says, letting Eddie help him up. “Are you sure I should do this?”

“It’s your mum Barry. Of course you should do this.” Eddie assures. He pauses when Barry turns back to the lab, checking his phone with a frown. After a moment, he puts it away and joins Barry in the elevator.

* * *

Of course, Barry thought about saving his mum. Thought about growing up with his parents actually around, alive and free. 

But he knew he couldn’t.

In nine months, everything changed. In sixteen years? That’s not a chance Barry can risk taking. Especially not when Eobard is the one offering it. That man is up to something. You don’t lecture someone on the risks of redoing one day and then tell them to change sixteen years.

Barry doesn’t get to save his mum.

But he gets to say goodbye.

* * *

“After I kill you I am going to kill them and then your father.” Eobard threatens, hand raised for another blow. Barry is barely standing, held up by Eobard’s iron-tight grip. He’s finding it hard to focus his eyes but he looks over at his friends anyway.

The first thing he sees is the gun in Eddie’s hands.

Realization washes over Barry like icy water. With strength he didn’t realize he had, he fazes out of Eobard’s grip and he  _ runs _ . The gun goes flying from Eddie’s hands, firing into the accelerator.

“What the hell were you thinking?!” Barry demands, hands still shaking at lightning speed as he grips Eddie’s wrists. Behind him, Eobard chuckles and turns.

“You should have let him done it.” He claims, amused. “It’s the only chance you had to stop me.”

A bright blue light floods the room, slamming into Eobard’s chest. The blast stays focused long after Eobard stops screaming, right until the light flickers and fades entirely.

“Wanna bet?” A cold voice rings out as the beam fades, followed by a thunk as the overloaded cold gun hits the metal ground. “You did want that guy dead, right?” Len asks, looking over the shocked faces turned towards him.

“Yes.” Cisco answers first. “Very much so. He killed me. And Barry’s mum. And Wells. And a lot of people. Holy shit.” 

“Cisco, breath.” Caitlin orders, grabbing Cisco as his knees buckle.

“What are you doing here Snart?” Joe asks in a cautious tone, his gun  _ not quite _ raised at the thief.

“Pretty boy said I should pop by. Gotta say this wasn’t what I was expecting.” Len shrugs, eyes turning to Barry and Eddie. To the others he looks calm as ever, but Barry can see the worry in his eyes and the tightness in his shoulders.

“Neither was I.” Eddie says. Barry’s managed to let go of his arms but Eddie’s still shaking just as much. “That message was about the timetravel. Which you missed, by the way.”

“Well Barry can’t always be the late one.” Len claims, shrugging. He takes a step forward and gasps, stumbling. If not for Barry’s speed, Len would have collapsed completely.

“Your leg.” Barry realizes, finally noticing the blood pouring down Len’s thigh.

“You should really be more careful with your guns Eddie.” Len manages, face contorting in pain.

“Shit.” Eddie exclaims, scrambling to his feet.

“Caitlin we need to help him.” Barry stresses, panicked eyes turning to the doctor.

“Get him upstairs now.” She orders.

“I’m fine.” Len claims, trying to brush Barry’s hold off.

“If that bullet hit something important you’ll bleed out in a matter of minutes.” Caitlin points out, making the man pause for a moment.

“Upstairs it is.” Len mutters. It barely takes Barry a second to flash him and then Caitlin into the medical bay. At a normal speed Joe, Iris, and Eddie join them.

“Where’s the others?” Barry asks. Was he not paying enough attention? Did something happen to them too?

“They’re fine.” Eddie assures. “There’s something off about the readings from the accelerator so Stein, Cisco, and Ronnie went to check it.”

“Seems I’m the only causality.” Len complains from the bed, his voice tight and his grip crushing Barry’s hand as Caitlin stitches his leg. The bullet went right through at least. “This is what I get for playing the good guy for once.”

“You killed someone.” Iris reminds.

“Someone who was trying his damndest to kill you, if you remember.” Len returns.

“I was wondering about that.” Joe says, drawls really. Barry’s not sure whose grip tightens, his or Len’s. “You said Eddie messaged you. I want a little more detail.”

“No detail to give Detective.” Len claims then winces as Caitlin sews another stitch. “Got a message, came to help. End of story.”

“Oh I highly doubt that.” Joe argues, eyes narrowing at Barry and Eddie. The two share a look, and a nod, then Eddie clears his throat.

“I thought Barry might want to say goodbye. I have Len’s number because he messaged me, after he found out about Barry’s identity.” Eddie explains.

“That raises more questions than it answers Detective.” Joe points out.

“We’re dating.” Barry blurts out, because he can only simmer under Joe’s stare for so long. Len flinches as Caitlin startles at the news.

“Sorry.” She says. “Only a little sorry, you kidnapped me.”

“It wasn’t personal.” Len claims. 

“You almost killed me too.” Caitlin adds. “Why are you dating him Barry?”

“If it makes you feel any better, the explosives weren’t meant to be real.” Len offers. “Mick’s fire obsession is stronger than his concept of avoiding murder.”

“I’m sorry, can we get back to the ‘dating’ part?” Joe says, anger bubbling in his tone. 

“It was before the lightning.” Barry explains. 

“Was is a good word for it.” Len adds, frowning slightly at Eddie and Barry. “That’s the impression I was under.”

“Barry thought we hated him.” Eddie says, quiet like there’s any hope they won’t be overheard.

“What?” Len frowns deeper. “Why?”

“I woke up and you were gone.” Barry sighs, looking down at their entangled hands. “And your phone was disconnected.”

“Right.” Len sighs. “Sorry I uh... I didn’t think you were waking up Bar.” He apologizes, meeting Barry’s eyes.

“That’s just weird.” Joe comments, glaring at the soft expression on Len’s face. “I don’t like this. You’re dating a criminal.”

“I don’t have any criminal records.” Len points out, face going blank again as he remembers their audience.

“That doesn’t make me feel any better about this.” Joe states.

“You were not kidding when you said it was complicated.” Iris notes.

“You knew?!” Joe snaps.

“I knew about Barry and Eddie, that’s it.” Iris quickly defends.

“Guys, we got a problem.” Cisco says, popping his head into the room.

“Yeah, I know.” Joe huffs.

“Uh… I don’t know what you’re talking about…” Cisco says. “But we’ve got a black hold opening up above the lab.”

“Shit.” Barry isn’t sure who says it. Maybe him, maybe Caitlin, maybe anyone. 

“We gotta go.” Cisco states, already rushing off. 

“We aren’t done talking about this.” Joe claims as he leaves.

“We are if we die.” Iris mutters, following.

“You stay here.” Caitlin orders Len, finishing the last stitch. “You’re going to need to stay off that leg for a while.”

“Unless we die.” Len retorts, repeating Iris' words.

“We aren’t going to die.” Caitlin and Barry say together.

“I’ll stay with Len, make sure he doesn’t move.” Eddie assures.

“Good. Barry, meet me up there.” Caitlin nods before rushing out of the room.

“After this we need to talk.” Barry states.

“We do.” Len agrees, tone softer and words to the point now that they’re alone. Barry nods and then hesitates. He needs to get up there ASAP but… “If you want to do something Scarlet, just do it.” Len says, rolling his eyes. It’s a fond expression, one that Barry has seen and has missed. He flashes forward, kissing Len as desperately as he kissed Eddie earlier. 

“I’ve gotta go.” He breaths against Len’s lips, much earlier than he’d like.

“Go.” Len orders. “I’ll be here when you get back.”

“Besides, we’ve got to talk about some stuff too.” Eddie adds. Nodding, Barry gives a quick kiss (a peak really) to Len’s lips, then to Eddie’s, before leaving to handle the blackhole.

He’ll do this fast, he tells himself, so they can talk.

It doesn’t quite go as planned.

**Author's Note:**

> tfw you never planned to write for your rarepair, you were just hoping to convince other people to ship it and write things. But then angst gets brought up and you have a reputation goddamn it. 
> 
> Anyway boy I hope I've convinced some people to join this rarepair with me.
> 
> [Oh look another link of links](https://linktr.ee/kailsmusings)


End file.
